Eire-protective means por wells



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,162

R. W. MUELLER FIRE PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR WELLS Filed Jan. 25, 1927 2SheetsSheet l Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,162

R. W. MUELLER FIRE PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR WELLS F 5 Filed Jan. 25, '1927 II 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES RICHARD W.MUELLER, OF PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KEROTEST MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF IITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-PROTECTIVE MEANS FOR WELLS.

Application filed January 25, 1927.

This invention relates to means for automatically shutting off the flowof oil or gas from a well in the event of fire, said. means beingoperable through the action of an adjacent fire.

A prime aim is to provide such a protective means with a cut-off valveadapted to be operated by air or another medium under pressure, which isnormally restrained and inactive by matter fusible from the heat of anordinary flame and disposed at various locations such as adjacent to thefloor and other parts of the derrick, the casing head valve, and thedistributing lines.

Another object is to provide novel fuse links or members in which moltenfusible matter will not impede the valve-closing action of thecompressed air and the like, in which the fusible material acts as aseal, in which the links may be recharged with fusible material, inwhich appropriate connections are provided for communication with thevalve-actuating cylinder and with the source of actuating medium.

Various additional objects and advantages will either be pointed out orbecome apparent from a consideration of an operative embodiment asdescribed hereinafter and illustrated in accompanying drawings.

In said drawings Figure 1 shows the improvements primarily in diagram;

Figure 2 is a partial elevation of a derrick floor and the well partsextending above the same or supported thereon; and v Figure 3 isanenlarged detail longitudinal sectional view taken through one of thefuse links.

In the drawings, designates a conventional well casing extending abovethe floor 11 of a derrick. Communicating with casing 10 andappropriately supported on the derrick as usual, are one or variousdistributing pipe lines 12. The discharge of gas and oil from casing 10is under control of the usual gate valve 13 while each distributing line12 has a usual regulating and cut-off valve 14 therein.

According to the present invention, I provide a valve structure 15 whichis in communication with casing 10, and, although shown as disposedabove the casing head valve 13, it may be arranged on either side ofsaid valve 13. The valve structure Serial No. 163,377.

15 is adapted to operate automatically to close the casing 10, or anoutlet therefrom, and thereby close the well upon the outbreak of a fireadjacent to the well parts and apparatus previously described.

Referring more specifically to the valve structure 15, it preferablyincludes a casing section 16 in which a normally retracted. gate valve17 and its stem 18 are slidably disposed. Said stem also slides throughan intermediate section 19 directly through a stuffing box 20 thereof,and a cylinder 21; the latter at each end as at 22 having packing orstuffing boxes for sealing co-action with said stem 18. Operating withinthe cylinder 21, is a piston 23, which is carried by stem 18.

A pressure medium is ada ted to enter the cylinder 21 in the event 0fire to co-act with piston 23 so as to slide stem 18 and accordingly thevalve 17 to closed position. Said medium may be compressed air stored inone or more containers 24 although it is to be realized that any otherappropriate means or source may be employed. Said containers may beremovable and of the refillable type. The said containers 24 are pipedto communicate with cylinder 21 under control of fuse links or members25. Each link 25 has an end 26 detachably connected to a pipe 27 whichmay lead from manifolds 28 arranged in communication with the containers24. Joint connections 29 extend laterally from each link 25 and havepipes 30 detachably clamped thereto at 31 which lead to one of twomanifolds 32 in communication through pipes 33 with cylinder 21. Thebores 34 of the respective links 25 are designed to establishcommunication between the ends 26 and connection 29 in case of fire, butsuch bores are normally sealed or closed at constricted portions 35thereof by readily fusible metal or the like 36. By way of example, suchmetal 36 may be designed to melt at 212 F. Should the metal 36 melt, itwould be forced by the compressed air to a location in bore 34 beyondthe bore of the connection 29 which is closer to the end containingmetal 36 than the other end, so that it will not enter said bore orimpede the supply of compressed air to the cylinder 21. Fused metal maybe removed from the bores 34 or be replaced upon the removal of screwplugs 37 normally sealing the bores.

In order that the fusible metal 36 may be replaced in sealing contactwith the links, the metal is preferably in the form of a cylinderarranged to engage the links by means of screw threads at 38.

As will be understood, the fuse links 25 are employed in any desirednumber and are arranged at various locations about the floor 11, otherparts .of the derrick, and the valves and piping. Accordingly, in theevent of fire, one or more of the links 25 will be so affected by heatso as to melt the metal 36 thereof, thus permitting compressed air toflow from a container 24i, through a manifold 28, a pipe 27, a link 25,a pipe 30, a manifold 32, a pipe 33, and cylinder 21, so that it willimpinge against piston 23 and thus slide rod 18 and move valve 17 toclosed position,

thereby preventing further emission of gas and oil from the well.

The outer end of the valve stem 18 as shown by Figure 2, is threaded,and is designed to receive a hand wheel 34 by means of which the valve17 may be raised to open position after it has been closed by theoperation above described; it may also be employed for locking the valve17 against movement. It will be understood that when the parts are setfor automatic operation this hand wheel 34; is removed from the valvestem.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a well, a closure valve therefor, a cylinder andpiston associated with said valve, means for passage of a pressuremedium to said cylinder to actuate the piston to close the valve, andfusible material normally closing said means.

2. In combination with a well, a closure valve therefor, a cylinder andiston associated with said valve, means for passage of a pressure mediumto said cylinder to actuate the piston to close the valve, fusiblematerial normally closing said means, and means operable to move thevalve following a closing operation.

3. In combination with a well, a closure valve therefor and a source ofpower medium, a cylinder, a piston on said valve and disposed in saidcylinder, a manifold, a pipe connection between the manifold andcylinder, and pipe connections between said source and said manifoldnormally closed by fusible material.

I testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

RICHARD W. MUELLER.

